Scotland Under-16s will be looking to get the better of their Home Nations rivals in the prestigious Victory Shield tournament, which kicks off in the Republic of Ireland this Monday.

In what will be head coach Stuart McLaren’s first tournament in charge of the team, Scotland head to Tralee in good spirits as they prepare to face Wales and Northern Ireland, in addition to the host nation.

The squad contains a number of promising talents, including Aberdeen striker Kevin Hanratty and Hibernian midfielder Jayden Fairley.

Twins Michael and Matthew Craig are also included, with the midfield pair on the books of Tottenham Hotspur as they continue their footballing development.

Stuart McLaren has named his first #SCO16s squad. We take on Northern Ireland, Wales and hosts Republic of Ireland in the Victory Shield in November.

First held in 1925, the Victory Shield was held annually amongst all the Home Nations until 2013, when England withdrew following a review of their development teams.

The Republic of Ireland are the current champions, having emerged victorious in Northern Ireland last year.

The tournament has seen many a famous face over the years, with Darren Fletcher, Allan McGregor and Steven Fletcher amongst those to have progressed to the senior Scotland setup in recent seasons.

Scotland have won the tournament 17 times in its illustrious history, yet have not lifted the trophy since 2014 – a fact McLaren and his squad will be looking to rectify this season.

“The Victory Shield represents a terrific opportunity for the players we have selected to showcase their talent,” said McLaren.

“With this age group presenting the first opportunity for players to represent Scotland we’re looking at how each individual reacts to the demands of international football, and asking them to demonstrate to us they have what it takes to play for Scotland from next year’s UEFA Under-17 European Championship Qualifiers and beyond.”

“From a purely personal perspective, guiding the team through this tournament will be the proudest moment of my professional life to date as it’s my very first as a Scotland National Youth Team coach. That’s something that can be reflected upon after the tournament as, just like the players, I’ll be 100% focused on doing my best for Scotland throughout the week.

“The matches against Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland will undoubtedly offer up plenty of challenges for the players and staff alike, but as a group we are relishing the prospect of testing ourselves against each of those nations."